Wireless networks such as wireless local area networks (WLANs) are quickly becoming pervasive, and WLANs that conform to the IEEE 802.11 standard are particularly ubiquitous. A WLAN can be made up of one or more wireless access points. A wireless access point is generally a device that enables wired communication devices (e.g., network devices) to connect to and to transmit data through a wireless network using wireless technologies (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or related standards). For example, an access point could connect to a network device (e.g., an edge device) and could relay data between wireless client devices (e.g., personal computers, printers, mobile devices, etc.) and the network device. The access point could also be combined with a wireless network device, such as in a wireless router.
Generally, a given access point will have a fixed area in which it can provide an acceptable signal strength. In order to create a WLAN spanning a larger area, network engineers will oftentimes use multiple access points in a wired network in order to provide wireless access to client devices within the larger area. The access points within the WLAN may work in conjunction to provide network access for the client devices, and may be managed by a WLAN controller. The WLAN controller generally performs management functions for the plurality of access points within the wireless network, e.g., automatic adjustments to radio frequency (RF) power, channels, authentication, and/or security associated with the access points.
In many cases, wireless networks are deployed in areas too large to be covered by a single wireless access point. That is, a single wireless access point is generally capable of providing network access for a fixed area. As the area covered by the wireless network increases, so does the number of access points and the difficulty of arranging and managing the access points. To assist network engineers in managing such networks, a position map may be created, e.g., using blueprints or other drawings of a facility. Such a position map may specify, for example, a physical position of each of the access points within the physical environment. A network engineer could then use such a map for RF coverage optimization functions, such as defining optimal channels and power level selection for each of the access points, as well as WLAN location-based services such as client device tracking. The position map may be created manually by a network administrator importing a set of floor plans and manually selecting access point locations within the map corresponding to the physical access points within the physical environment. However, such a manual process is oftentimes prone to human errors, and once an incorrect position is assigned to an access point within the position map, it can be a challenging and time consuming task to identify and correct the error.